Fall Creek Falls Mayo River Trail & Mayo Mountain Access Loop Trail in Mayo River State Park
“Find beauty in the ordinary, and you will find joy in unexpected places.” - Fiona Rossiter
“I hope we see a turtle!!!” - Ginger Shields
The Story -
On Sunday Ginger and I hiked two trails in the Mayo River State Park - the out and back Fall Creek Falls Mayo River Trail and the Mayo Mountain Access Loop Trail. Each trail was relatively short, flat, and easy to hike, about 4 miles in total.
Short, flat, and easy to hike! Ok, now you have my attention -
These two hikes could not be more different! Fall Creek Falls is a beautiful hike following water the entire way - Fall Creek at the beginning, converging with the Mayo River the rest of the trail. A gorgeous waterfall greets you almost immediately at the start of the trail and invites you to stop, swim, and relax by the water. As you continue by the Mayo River, the size and power of the river is impressive. You can turn around at the tree marking the North Carolina / Virginia border (you cannot miss it with three large yellow stripes on the tree) or continue a little further into Virginia before turning around.
We left the Fall Creek Falls Trail and took a fifteen-minute car ride to the Mayo Mountain Access Loop Trail. (Mayo River State Park is a developing park with nine separate non-connected land tracts.) At the start, you cross over a small wetland bridge and begin the trail loop with a slight ascent into the forest. You pass by several tree markers identifying the most common trees found in the area, remnants of an old log cabin, a fragmented stone water cistern and several wooden benches carved out of large fallen tree trunks.
Spill the Tea -
Both hikes are wonderful for beginners, dogs, families, or anyone seeking a serene experience. We saw several young children on the Fall Creek Falls trail, with one family even bringing inner tubes and floats. (Unfortunately, they had to turn back due to high e-coli levels below the waterfall, and swimming in the water was prohibited.) Oddly enough, despite it being a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, we were the only hikers on the Mayo Mountain Access Loop Trail. The other lone vehicle in the parking lot was that of a napping maintenance worker.
I would not hesitate to visit the Fall Creek Falls Trail again for the alluring trail along the water and the striking views of the Mayo River. And while I enjoyed the Mayo Mountain Access Loop Trail, I would not make a special trip to do the hike again. The actual highlight of the Mayo Mountain Loop trail was not even on the trail; surprisingly it was the restored pavilion-style picnic shelter designed by renowned architect Antonin Raymond that greets you upon arriving in the park. Raymond, born in the Kingdom of Bohemia, now the Czech Republic and worked with Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the shelter in the 1940s, modeling it after his mid-1930s design of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Karuizawa, Japan. The fire pit inside the shelter is stunning and worth a trip to just see it alone. It reminded me of the fire-pit at The Grove Park Inn, large enough for several people to stand together inside it! Flanking the shelter are well-manicured picnic grounds and several easily accessible small fishing ponds. (I guess the maintenance worker deserved a rest).
The Family Tea -
Ginger and I did these hikes with our beloved twelve-year-old dog Sophie. Sophie is afraid of water yet tolerates it if we don’t make her get too close or cross over it too many times. Hikes seem to bring out the young energetic puppy in Sophie, and her enthusiasm on our hikes fills me with immeasurable joy and happiness. There’s not much else like it. I know I will miss her when she cannot join us, and sadly I wonder how many more of these adventures I have left with her. I do my best however to stay in the moment, not to worry, and to cherish each and every time she is able to join us.
Ginger, unfortunately, did not see a turtle, but she was able to capture photographs of several other animals as well as some interesting plants and wildflowers - frogs, millipedes, mushrooms, and ferns. I returned home Saturday from a meaningful and impactful mission trip to Wilmington with 14 high-schoolers and the peacefulness and calmness of the lapping water and the vast forest was just what I needed.
Wrap It Up -
Ginger and I chose this hike because she went with Alex last year while I was away and really liked it. Knowing my fondness for waterfalls, she was sure I would like it too. She was right, the waterfall was wonderful and I did really enjoy it. Yet the rest of the river trail and the hike in the forest all seemed a little less impressive in comparison. Is that perhaps because the reward, or in this case a striking waterfall, came at the beginning of the hike? On the ride home I was reminded that I am often guilty of only focusing on only the main attraction, not recognizing the significance of other things around me, like the pavilion in this case. I forget that life is not always about the flashy Instagram post-worthy moments like the waterfall, but instead about being able to find joy and happiness in the uneventful or mundane, such as the forest trail. It is a conscious choice and practice that we all have to make. Staying in the moment, having gratitude for all things - while easier said than done - will help us accomplish this.
